Tactics: executing Free Kick - solutions When watching soccer match sometime we get a feeling that set pieces taken by our favorite team have not been thought through and have been just simply a waste. Especially, free kicks taken from a very close range could be decisive on the final result. It is quite important for coach to focus the mind and prepare few solutions for free kicks to use during appropriate time in the match. Said that, let’s sketch one free kick and based on that we derive varieties of solutions and make our free kicks unpredictable and successful. The foul was committed on the left side of the field at the corner of the penalty area.(see pic. 1) Pic. 1
We concentrate on three solutions. (see pic. 2) The following conditions must occur prior to executing the free kick. Defending side: - Four-man wall set up - Three to four player within penalty area - Extensive area in front of penalty area. Attacking side: - KEY player (#10): searches for a spot in the wall - Two players minimum in the penalty area (#9, #7) - Quick pace and accuracy Pic. 2
Two players located at the vicinity of the ball. (see pic. 2) Player #8 - stands straight, facing the ball and the goal, so as he would prepare to strike the ball directly at the goal. Eventually, he will make a run over the ball. Player #11 - stands parallel to the sideline, facing the ball and opposite sideline, so as he would try to deliver a ball deep into penalty area or make a shot on goal but in more technical way (curved ball). His role will be to pass the ball to the player #10, which will come out from the wall. Faking intensions and stimulating the opposition in one way as you do other way is crucial.
First solution Player #15, located in midfield receives the ball and has a shot on goal. Players #9 and #7 in the penalty area make runs to the outside to open up a corridor right through the middle. (see pic. 3)
Pic. 3
Second solution Player #15 located in midfield receives the ball and chips the ball to the left flank. (see pic. 4) - Player #8 at the left flank delivers one of these: high-ball cross or low-ball cross along the goal line or cross to closing Right-Full-Back (RFB) - Players #9 and #7 in the penalty area make runs to the near and far post, creating space for teammates and moving out of the goal area to make space for players coming in - RFB (#20) closes from the right in case the ball got through Pic. 4
If the player #15 gets pressured or the view of the goal is blocked or the significant time had been lost. We move to Second solution.
If the left flank becomes very crowded or the pressure leans towards that side we proceed to Third solution.
Third solution The RFB (#20) is moving along the touch line and as soon as midfield player (#15) gets the ball, he is ready to receive it. The ball is played with forward momentum to make the action flow and to create danger at the final phase. (see pic. 5) We can implement: - Player #20 at the right flank delivers one of these: high-ball cross or low-ball cross along the goal line or cross to closing Left-Full-Back (LFB=#8) - Players (#7, #9, #10) in the penalty area make runs to the near and far post, creating space for teammates, moving out of the goal area to make space for players coming in - LFB (#8) closes from the left in case the ball got through Pic. 5
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